Touch of a Demon
by Quen Galad
Summary: Waterdeep is saved, and the Champions of Eilistraee are honoured and celebrated. But for Rina, there is still something lacking... Or, rather, someone. Rating for language and a solid portion of mature themes.
1. Chapter 1

_He's dead. He's truly dead._

_There is a dead Duke of Hells lying by my feet._

_Well, not really by my feet. Even crumpled up in a lifeless heap, he's still way over my head. I wonder..._

_Am I going to get paid for this?_

„_And so Mephistopheles, Duke of Hells, Prince of Cania, Deceiver of the Valsharess, Waste of Waterdeep, fell to the Four Champions of Ellistraee... And peace was restored to the Prime. The End."_

Rina could still remember the happy, slightly concussed expression on Deekin's snout as he put the last two words down with a flourish, and fell face-first to the ground. She could hear his snoring even over the roaring flames surrounding Mephistopheles's body and the triumphant cheer of the soldiers rushing back to put them out.

She could still hear the loud, vibrating clang as Valen let go of his flail and just stood there, too tired to even fall down. She could remember the empty, utterly vacant stare of Nathyrra's cold eyes as the drow slithered to her knees, her arms hanging limply at her sides. There was nothing left to do, no-one left to fight. They had won.

Victory.

And victory has turned out to be not a moment, but a process. Their exhausted bodies were picked up and paraded through the streets among the roaring crowds, into the Garden Palace - an inn so luxurious and expensive that travelling royalty stayed there. Their best suite, occupying the entire top floor, was given to them, and feasts and proclamations and celebrations were being planned, just as soon as the damage done to the city was mended.

In the meantime, the four of them didn't even reach their respective beds, but collapsed on the carpet in the anteroom and fell asleep in a heap. Allegedly, they slept for three days, and Rina was forced to believe that when she saw the progress in construction works.

That also explained why was she so incredibly hungry, she thought as she blinked away the memory of the dead devil.

The large, be-carpeted, flower-decorated parlour downstairs exploded in cheers as soon as Rina stepped in. There weren't really that many people there, since the Palace was so exclusive, but they were determined to show their enthusiasm. An extremely elegant staff member appeared before her, and Rina tried to answer his questions about meals and orders and whatnot while at the same time answering the cheers of the crowds. She noticed Deekin in a comfy armchair by the huge fireplace, being bought drinks by his mesmerised audience. Nathyrra was nowhere to be seen, which meant she didn't want to be seen. There was no sign of Valen, either.

Rina went through the room, politely shaking hands and answering compliments. Part of her basked in the glory of the moment, rejoicing in the admiration, assessing all the potential profits, while part of her wanted to run away and never come back. Ah, the conflicted desires of a complicated personality.

„Boss! You awake at last! Deekin be a bit worried about that." Ah, the joys of an uncomplicated personality.

„I've never felt more rested," she replied. „You all right?"

„Yeah. Deekin put a fresh coat of varnish on Deekin's lute. And Deekin bought new clothes, not much left of old ones."

Rina looked at the little bard's outfit. It must have been quite a challenge for the tailor to make a fitting garment for a kobold hero, and in such a hurry, but he managed all right. Supple, black leather – in overlapping shapes, she noted, reminiscent of dragon scale – was intersected with rich, red velvet, gold ornamentation giving it the flair necessary for a true bard. An ingenious arrangement of clasps made it fit easily around Deekin's red wings, the overall effect managing, in fact, to be rather intimidating.

„Neat, huh Boss? Deekin be sharing stories of epic adventure with everyone, and they so polite!"

„Glad to hear it," muttered Rina distractedly.

That was because a door opened at the far side of the room, letting in a big, strong warrior with long red hair and a pair of curled horns.

She was painfully aware of a tightening in her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger... at least, not hunger for food. The tiefling warrior was hellishly attractive – literally – but he was also chivalrous and conscientuous and had this infuriating sense of honour and so much damn_ respect_ for her... So many times she tried to get closer to him, they talked, and bonded, and it almost seemed like he was on the verge of opening up to her, but then they found themselves in Cania and all his attention was once again directed inwards... Battling the demon within.

And then she freed him from it. She found the solution to his greatest problem, she gave him the ultimate gift... she hoped that would make him realize the way was open and clear. But there was no time. There was Mephistopheles.

And now here they were, victorious, alive, celebrating and reaping the rewards. Yet the one reward she strove for was still beyond her reach.

She stared at him, an unfamiliar sight in just a linen shirt and leather breeches, aware that the hubbub in the room changed its tone at his arrival. An elven ranger was pretty much a "standard" hero, a drow assassin was no big surprise, a fire-breathing kobold was a welcome novelty, but him... The obvious touch of a demon upon him made everyone uneasy, and his towering, muscular frame made it no easier.

Rina's eyes narrowed. Everyone accept for the serving girl, she corrected as she saw a young blonde practically run up to him. She caught strands of conversation, about his gear being sent to the best blacksmiths, meals being prepared and other trivial stuff, until the girl almost purred,

„And the bath chambers have been reserved at your disposal, sir."

„Thank you." His response was curt, but strangely... satisfied.

„You will find towels, and soaps, and all sorts of accessories on the tables, help yourself to whatever you wish," she went on. Then she took a deep breath, pushing her breasts further up until they almost burst out of her corset, and her voice took on a low, husky quality. „Will you require a massage, my lord?"

Rina realised she was holding her breath as she strained her ears for his reply. At the same time, she was aware of the girl's shiny, golden hair, her smooth, unscarred skin and slender figure and beautiful dress. Adventurers were never slim and smooth - however much exercise you got, you were always a knot of muscle and scars and bones and you never kept a steady diet, so the body made sure it had... supplies. Rina knew she was still wearing her stinking armour, soaked with blood and ooze of countless species, that she hadn't had a bath in weeks, that her hair was a mess and her arms were too thick and her whole figure was just a big, lumbering bag compared to the beautiful little hostess that was, right now, pushing her tits under the very nose of her tiefling.

That's right, dammit, he was _her_ tiefling. Just as soon as she gets her shit together.

„Thank you, but... no. I think I will just go and soak up for a week."

The girl let out the most artificially-tingling laugh in the world, batting her eyelashes at him. Valen strode off, not even noticing Rina on the other side of the hall.

She descended on the girl like the wrath of Shevarash, only just managing not to draw a weapon.

„Excuse me," she barked, in a tone more suited to howl for blood.

„What?" The girl was not nearly as interested in being helpful to _her_.

Rina gave her a horrible smile. „Can you arrange for my gear to be cleaned and repaired? And something for me to wear in the meantime?"

„Yes, madam. If you'd just care to go to your room, I'll send someone to collect it and bring you a shift shortly."

„I believe you have baths in here?"

„Yes, but-"

„But what?"

The girl hesitated, obviously torn between her duties and her desire to keep Valen alone. Rina gritted her teeth.

„Well, if it's all the same to_ you_," Rina went on, „I'll just leave my gear in there and you can bring me a fresh outfit when you collect it. I feel I need a good scrub, I'm still covered in arch-demon guts, you know," she growled, quietly revelling at the girl's sudden apprehension. She then stormed off after Valen. Opening the door, she caught Deekin's eye - he seemed amused. Rina lightened up and went in search of the bathing chambers.

She did need a good scrub, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Deekin was fully aware that a good storyteller never satisfied the curiosity of his audience entirely. So, a moment after his Boss left the room, he excused himself from the company, politely but firmly refused their pleas and offers, and ambled towards the staff.

„Where be everybody?" he said, smiling at the obviously uncomfortable man. The staff, not as cosmopolitan and blasé as the guests, were clearly having trouble with a kobold being one of the guests of honour.

„Mistress Nathyrra is, uh, out," stammered the man. „She did not vouchsafe her destination to us. Master Shadowbreath has expressed desire for a bath, he is in the bathing chambers."

„And the Boss?"

„Uh, mistress Rinaelianwen is, uh, _also_ in the bathing chambers, I believe," whispered the man, oozing delicacy from every pore.

„Deekin going to his room, then. Send up wine and candles and snacks, okay? Deekin gonna work," the kobold announced with a wide grin. Then, just for mischief, he flapped his wings a few times and rose up in the air, the guests and staff alike gawking at his suddenly menacing form. He flew towards the stairs and rose further, but then stopped and turned in mid-air.

„Oh, and goodnight everybody. Thank you for listening and being kind to Deekin." And he flew up the stairwell, because why walk when you can fly?

ΦΦΦ

Up in his room in the luxurious suite – a room intended for royal children and equipped with child-sized furnishings that suited him perfectly – Deekin leafed through his notes. He had to finish the description of the final battle, because it still lacked the necessary detail, but that could wait. Now he finally knew what to do about the romantic part of the story, and that was very important.

Deekin knew in his bardic soul that every epic story must have romance in it, because why save the world if there was no love to look forward to? He regretted very much that the previous tale of his and Boss's exploits had no romance whatsoever, and even briefly considered making up such a story : a tragic tale of unrequited love and deadly disease standing between the Boss and some elven ranger she told Deekin about. But when the time came for the book, he decided it would probably anger the Boss, and the ranger's sick wife, too.

So when finally he and Boss met Valen Shadowbreath, the kobold's bardic senses tingled in anticipation. There was everything here needed for a good love story. They were so unlike each other : Rina with her safe, boring childhood and wild ideas and reckless yearning for adventure, and Valen with his horrible past and his quest for acceptance and security. She was untamed and unpredictable as a summer storm, and he was dark and repressed like a flame burning in the iron cage of his will. She was intrigued by him, not afraid, and he sought to accompany her, not to control her.

It was a perfect match.

Now, if only they would finally go for it.

Deekin was at his wits' end, trying to arrange a suitable moment, dropping hints and suggestions and whatnot. Nathyrra tried to help, because she had a good heart, but she was a drow and drow were savvy of romance like chickens were savvy of bricks. Even he, a kobold and former slave to a dragon, knew more of romance than they. But it was all in vain, and when the party found themselves in Cania, he lost all hope and scribbled a tragic scenario of a love that would bud, yet never blossom. But now, when he saw the Boss in the common room, storming with jealousy and determination, his hope was renewed. Deekin dipped his quill in the inkwell and began to write.

ΦΦΦ

„Bathing chambers" seemed like a silly, pompous term. But when Rina descended to the marble basement, she was inclined to agree.

Huge pools of crystal-clear water stretched away in the gloom, since the lamps were unlit, each separated from the other by embroidered satin curtains. Complicated mosaics covered the floor, and sculpted stone doors led to niches with smaller, private baths. Some pools were hot, some were cold. It looked like the sort of place where water elementals went for vacation ; even the top suites in the former temple of Lolth weren't that grand. There was no sign of Valen though.

Rina was suddenly overcome by how dirty she was. She discarded her gear in record time, piled it up on the floor and lowered herself to a hot pool. Grabbing a bar of soap, she scrubbed her body and untangled her hair and washed and oiled and perfumed for what felt, to her practical ranger mind, like forever, but in fact was only twenty minutes. She had just wrung the last bit of lathe from her hair, feeling wonderfully fresh and clean, when she heard a faint voice.

„They say that a lass in Sigil

Will place her heart in a box..."

Rina froze. Had she made a noise? Of course not. She made hardly any noise when moving these days. Did he know she was here? Probably not – he would have called. Probably apologized for being walked in on. She looked frantically around and only now noticed the faintest glow of light from beneath the last curtain, far away into the marble hall. It was dark just a moment ago, so he probably just turned on a light. What to do, what to do...

_Go to him, you useless lump. Ask him to wash your back, or something._

No, I can't do that.

_You bloody well took the Duke of Hells head-on! And you're afraid to hit on a guy who blushes and calls you „his lady"?_

That's different! I had help with Mephistopheles. His help. Anyway, what if he's just being polite? What if he's not really interested? What if he's in love with the Seer after all?

_Then at least have sex with him so you know what it's like, you bloody idiot! Before that damn hostess beats you to it!_

As quietly as she could, Rina crept out of the pool and, keeping to the darkest shadows, made her way towards Valen's voice.

ΦΦΦ

Valen surfaced and brushed wet hair out of his eyes. This felt so_ good_.

He was never one for dainty living, and his quarters at Lith My'atar were, to him, the epitome of comfort. But his human part felt even better here, on the surface, among the white stones and clear water and open skies. He had washed in a small bath to the side, scrubbing off all the accumulated dirt, and was now just swimming lazily in the large, hot pool, water washing away the strain in his muscles.

With a sigh, he rested his head on the marble and let his body float. They had won. They had actually won, saved the Seer, destroyed the Valsharess and made it out of Cania alive... They bested Mephistopheles himself... And the taint of his blood was gone. He was no longer a savage murderer... Nathyrra's voice came back to him : „Now you're just a temperamental redhead. She'll like that."

The drow was always so flippant about it... It made him livid, back then. To restrain the urge for wholesale slaughter every second of his life was apparently not enough – he also had to be tormented by a woman he could never have, and a friend who found his suffering amusing. _And_ a singing kobold.

But when they came to Cania, and he confronted the full force of his demonic bloodlust, he felt almost... at peace. He was a murderous beast, through and through, and love was obviously out of his reach. He came to terms with that, and decided to die in battle, as a killing machine should.

And _then_ she used his true name to free him of the taint. She gave him his humanity back and... well, the question was, what now?

She had to be interested to some extent, he told himself. She flirted with him on many occasions, but so did practically every other female, apart from the Seer. They all only wanted him as a conquest, a toy. Something to brag about. But he cared about her, he truly did, and wanted more than just to satisfy his lust.

Lust... When he didn't use his body to strike a bargain, Valen took care of his basic urges with help from some inquisitive succubus or other, and it was pleasurable. But they were actual incarnations of illicit sex, and he was sure a man ought not to treat a real woman, a person he cared about, like he would treat a succubus.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, but once awakened, the vision would not go away. How many times had he dreamed of her? How many times had he woken up, heart pounding, with the image of her naked body still in his mind? He dreamed of her stretched beneath him on his bed in the temple, her legs wide apart, her body his to touch, to explore, to take. He dreamed of making her scream, and gasp, and beg for more. A few times, when his demonic blood was particularly aggressive, he dreamed of ripping off her clothes and forcing her into submission ; at these times, he woke up with a scream of genuine horror. But his body burned for hers and it didn't help that she'd come to him, all concerned, and gently talk to him. When he fed her some lie about nightmares of the Abyss, she had actually offered to hold him and watch over him as he slept! Persuading her that it might get her hurt, while the demon inside howled at him to rape her to death, was the hardest thing he had ever done.

And now the demonic taint was gone, yet the voice of lust was strangely similar. It didn't want violence, but its desire was quite violent in itself. Still, Valen has been holding an incomparably stronger demon in check for decades, so he could deal with a secret passion for his combat leader. He lay back on the edge of the pool, arms stretched out on either side, and gave his rigidly erect penis a smirk before closing his eyes.

ΦΦΦ

In a shadowy corner, Rina forced herself to breathe calmly and slowly. The one lamp burning on a side table gave just enough light to etch Valen's muscular body in a pattern of shadows and lights, of strong shapes and soft skin and hard lines and curves here and there. Rina's heart thumped like mad as her gaze slid over his broad chest and his strong shoulders, with a strand of wet, red hair lying softly over the curve of the collarbone. His skin was pale even in this dim light, and he had no hair on his body, apart from his head.

_Correction,_ _he does have some hair on his body. And it's just as red._

Rina's lips parted slightly, her hot breath terribly loud in her ears as she looked at his stomach and the thinnest trail of crimson hair that ran in the middle, ending in a tiny fringe over his penis. And that was it – there was no more. It was like a red line that screamed, „Here! Look here!" And she couldn't tear her eyes away sure enough.

Valen was pale, very pale – almost like a statue made of some smooth stone. His blood, as she knew from all the times that he'd shed it, was... different, changing colour and temperature just as his eyes and body did because of it. And now she looked at his erect manhood, its colour hardly different from the rest of him, and she had to dig her fingernails into her hand to stop herself from running to him and swallowing it whole. It looked so... appetising.

She stared, not even aware of the time passing, when she saw Valen's tail rise lazily from the water, the smooth, supple coil covered in the same, thin crimson fur. It whirled around, shedding drops, and gently, slowly, wrapped around his erection. Her eyes widened as she looked at the soft coil stroking it gently, in slow, delicate movements.

Rina realised she was practically drooling. She _had_ thought of Valen's... possibilities with the tail, who didn't? All the female drow in Lith My'atar did, she knew. It was just the way he used it so unthinkingly and so very proficiently. Countless times little Deekin had given Valen some object, a potion or a key or whatever, and Valen took it out of his paw with a precise flick of that tail, because why stoop? But Rina had never, ever suspected that he would use his tail that way, even though it was so obvious now.

She slid one hand between her thighs, stroking her wet lips in time with the movements of Valen's tail. She was practically panting now, but he obviously didn't hear her.

_Oh yeah, very mature. Very adult. Really sensible and reasonable and whatnot, the two of you masturbating a few feet from each other instead of just... joining your efforts._

Rina cursed her rebellious mind. Well, what else would she do? He obviously wanted to be alone...

_What else? What else?! Bloody hell, woman, he's got a hard shaft ready and waiting, and you're all wet and yearning. And you don't know what to do?  
__That blonde tart would damn well know what to do!_

Rina cursed once more, and, making sure his eyes were closed, silently crept out of the shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

„I think you should go."

The voice was clear, precise and left little room for disobedience. And – as expected – the order was received with a shocked, hurt expression.

Nathyrra rolled her eyes.

„I'm sorry, I just don't enjoy your ministrations. You did try, though, and you shall get paid. Go on, go. The rest of you can stay."

The man in question gathered his things and straightened up, furious. It didn't help that the rest of them were giving him amused smirks.

„Foot massage," Nathyrra grumbled, shifting position on the silk mattress. „If that was a foot massage, I'm a dwarven farmer." She turned around and gestured to the tall, muscular man who has, up till now, fanned her with a large straw fan. „Why don't _you_ show me what you can do?"

A bottle of scented oil was uncorked, releasing aromas that were strange but very pleasing to Nathyrra's drow senses. The surfacer's touch was very delicate on her back, never hurting her in the slightest, which was not the custom with drow masseurs. Yet, at the same time, the impertinent male unclasped her bra and took it off her, without even asking for permission! And they gave her juices, made of _fruit_. And the men joked with her, and looked her in the eyes. She had stared at the frosted glass suspiciously, and then one of them smiled and said, „Think of it as the freshly-spilled blood of little oranges, mistress." And they all laughed!

And just now, the man's fingers had expertly untied a painful knot in her muscles. Before she could stop it, Nathyrra let out a small moan of pleasure. The other man had prepared a fresh drink, and the third took up the fanning duty, and none of them were alarmed in the slightest at this sign of vulnerability. After a few seconds, another satisfied groan escaped her. The one with the drink, slightly less disconcerting to her because his skin was nearly black, leaned over her ear.

„Would you perhaps be interested in a more... in-depth service, mistress Nathyrra?"

She lifted lazy eyes at him. What was _in_ that juice stuff? She didn't even know where her weapons were, and didn't care.

„Well, yes... Can that be arranged?"

„Certainly. Whom would you like to service you?" he asked, smiling.

„Hmm... all of you, I think."

ΦΦΦ

Rina had never been so nervous while sneaking up on someone. Ever.

She had killed a Medusa-turned-Lich, she had made her way through a Beholder lair, she had been in the Plane of Shadows and done many perilous and quite amazing things. But she'd never been this nervous.

Valen just lay there in the pool, gently stroking himself with his tail. It was clear he wasn't intending to just rub one out and have it done with – the touch was only a mild addition to whatever, _who_ever he was thinking about. Please, please, please...

Rina crept around the pool, the soft shadows welcoming and shielding, but she knew she'd have to leave them soon. She was very near him now... She had to speak first, his reflexes were incredible and he was always ready to fight, so she must identify herself first...

She opened her mouth but before she let out even a breath of air, there was a whoosh of rushing water and a silvery-red shape in the air leapt at her, bringing her down to the ground. Her arms were twisted behind her back, her hair was grasped to steady her head, and her naked body was being straddled.

It was therefore no surprise that the penis she'd been admiring a moment before was pressed hard against her bare buttocks. She heard a few gulps of breath, and the water trickling here and there, before the inevitable gasp when Valen realised it was her he attacked. But she was perceiving all this as if through a haze, her mind concentrated on their intertwined bodies, and his length pressed against her.

„Rina! I, uh..." Valen stammered, somewhere above her, but she couldn't talk. Not now. Not while he was touching her like that... Even though the twisted arms hurt, she only felt his incredibly hot manhood. As much in control of herself as an ocean is in control of the tide, Rina rocked her hips back and forth, rubbing against him. Valen shut his eyes and released her arms, but his grip on her hair tightened. She spread her legs, rubbing her entrance against him, regretting that with all that water he wouldn't be able to tell how wet she was for him...

„Rina." His voice was more urgent this time. Commanding. She turned around and faced him, and saw in his smouldering eyes a strange, strained desperation. So she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and her lips around his. They were so hot they almost burned.

His one hand buried in her hair, other pressing the small of her back close, Valen kissed her back like his life depended on it. His lips were slightly rough, but his tongue was smooth and delicate and the way he drove it into her mouth made her wild. She might have even forgotten to breathe, but the moment was interrupted : she gasped and gave a surprised start.

That was because, even though both his hands were holding her tight, she felt a delicate and very agile touch between her thighs. Still kissing her mouth, Valen was teasing her... other lips with, yes, his tail.

Rina's head was spinning with pleasure as he slid one hand over her breast and gently teased the nipple, pulling at her hair with the other hand – all these sensations at once were just too much for her hungry body. She tore away from him, leaning back.

„Valen..." she breathed. No other words could get past her throat right now, so she just leaned back even more and spread her legs wide.

„Rina, I..." his breathing was ragged, and his penis stood to attention so hard it seemed to be vibrating. But his head was down, strangely. „I... can't..."

Her eyes widened, searching his face for a clue, as he reached out to her and gently lifted her up by the waist. „I can't..." he started again. His hands tightened on her naked flesh and he cleared his throat. „I can't let you lie there on this cold, hard floor," he managed, and suddenly, a smile lit up his face like lightning. And, like lightning, it was dangerous and chaotic and mesmerising.

Before she even understood what was happening, Valen snatched her up and lay on the stone floor, setting her back down on top of him. Then he drew her head back down to kiss her once more, other hand fondling her breast. „Much better," he murmured.

Rina, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest, bit on his lower lip. „You idiot! How dare you frighten me that way," she screamed, thumping on his chest with her fists. Valen just laughed and pressed her hips down hard on his, rubbing against her entrance. „I must protect my lady," he said. „Even from the cold. So, your anger isn't really warranted."

„Oh I think it is, you-" Her righteous indignation was interrupted at this point. She was sitting on his lap, palms placed on his broad, muscular chest, and her hips grinding into him with each movement. There were plenty things on her mind right now – and on his too – but visitors weren't one of them.

„Hello... I figured that you might chang-" said a voice.

The satin curtains were dragged aside, letting in a short, slim human figure. The little blonde hostess stood there, transfixed, one hand still holding the curtain and the other a wad of towels. Both Rina and Valen stared at her in complete astonishment.

Her hair was let loose, forming a cloud of fluffy golden curls around her head, quite a cherubic effect with her big, blue eyes and delicate, pale face. Further down the effect was not so celestial anymore, as she was wearing only a tiny, open vest that barely covered her breasts and was held together by a string of pearls (Rina's eyes narrowed at the sight of the girl's tiny waist and almost sunken stomach). The only other contribution to decency she made was a length of colourful, transparent material wrapped around her hips that left nothing to imagination.

„-ed your mind," the girl finished, lamely, staring at the two naked bodies intertwined on the wet floor. She dropped the towels and, before either of them even managed to speak, turned and ran away. Her small, bare feet made almost no noise on the stones.

Rina knew it was stupid, but still she felt jealous.

„Well, sorry for intruding, then," she said, and regretted it instantly.

But Valen's face showed only a minimal sign of blushing and honest bewilderment as he sat up. To her boundless dismay, the fire in his eyes died when the girl came up, chased away by the embarrassment that never seemed far away in this exasperating man. She also had rather ambivalent feelings about the fact that his penis was no longer erect.

„_She_ will be sorry for intruding! And you," Valen snarled, and just like that, in a split-second, the demon was back. Well, maybe not the real demon, but the fearsome warrior, the general, the Demonwrestler. „_You_ will be sorry for speaking to me like that!"

„Look, I just thought..." Rina stammered, astonished at his wrath. She knew he was fury incarnate ; but his fury had never been directed at her before.

„Oh, you thought, did you? What _about_? Pray tell me, _my lady_!"

„Valen, I'm really sorry, I only blurted that out because I was jealous..." Rina the good Ranger practically squeaked, while inside, Rina the chaotic Rogue laughed._ Well, that escalated quickly. A few seconds ago you were putting off the delicious moment of putting it in, and now it's all been put away. Lovely._

But Valen's eyes have changed, again. There was less fury, but somehow more _menace_. „Were you, now? And that's enough to completely disregard someone's feelings and hit them with baseless accusations?"

The door to the bathing chambers opened once more, letting in servants who took Rina's gear and left her a dressing gown. Like true professionals everywhere, they took in the scene regarding necessary cleaning, resource replacement and overall service, while completely failing to notice the two naked, fighting lovers. The lovers responded more or less in kind.

„Of course not, and I'm sorry..." Rina tried a soothing voice again. But Valen looked at her coldly, like he would at a soldier who, despite his training, is incapable of even holding the weapon right. His gaze made her knees weak ; and when he spoke, his voice, the stern and commanding voice of a military leader who couldn't even _imagine_ disobedience, made her body shiver all over and her nipples snap to attention.

„Upstairs. Now." He said, and she had to suppress the urge to salute. „I want to see you in my bedroom in five minutes. You have permission to dry yourself and wrap a towel around. You do _not_ have permission to get dressed."

He didn't even wait for her to acknowledge the order, but turned around and reached for a towel himself – absolutely certain he would be obeyed. Just before his face turned away, Rina caught a warm, slightly sarcastic smile on it. She grabbed a towel left by the fleeing girl, dried herself hurriedly and ran to grab the dressing gown...


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't easy, sneaking past the crowded salon, even for her. It's one thing to make oneself scarce in a night-time forest, or in a dark cavern, especially while wearing camouflage gear and other... commodities. Passing unseen through a room full of people, lit up with several fireplaces and with waiters coming to and fro was another thing entirely, especially when wearing a fluffy, purple dressing gown and carrying a fluffy white towel.

Rina didn't know what would happen if she wasn't in Valen's room in five minutes. Thinking clearly now that she left his... bewildering presence, she realised he had to come up from the baths too, so there was no way he would get there ahead of her. But she was determined to play the game.

This was something new, wasn't it? Valen was always rather shy and reticent when it came to these things, and the first time she'd seen him blush she had to suppress a laugh really hard. The rosy tint on the pale skin was just so absolutely out of place in this man who was, by all accounts, a killing machine.

_Maybe the blush blushes all the more because it's embarrassed at appearing in such an unfamiliar territory. Anyway, he's taken quite a different approach now, hasn't he?_

Rina's knees went wobbly again just at the memory of Valen's suddenly dominating, commanding aura. She knew, intellectually speaking, that he had a more or less a general's rank in Lith My'athar and that he'd got a bloody drow army to submit to him, but somehow she never, ever suspected he'd get her to do so, too.

_But you want to, don't you... One look from General Shadowbreath and you were damn ready to fall to your knees and start apologising like only a girl in heat can..._

Well, what's wrong with that? Rina reached the stairs and began climbing them to the top floor suite, wondering if Deekin or Nathyrra were there. Still, doors had locks. Besides, she thought, he took me by surprise. I didn't know he had it in him to get all slavemaster on me, and here he is, giving me orders. And he was smiling. It's just a game.

_Well, I hope that at the end of this game _you_ are going to have it in _you_. It would really not be nice at all if he was screwing the slutty servant right now, would it?_

Rina froze with her bare foot in mid-air when this thought arrived in her head. No, she thought. Stupid, insecure jealousy almost lost me a torrent of passionate lovemaking with him right there, and I'm not falling for that again. And, she added conscientously, the girl has every right to voice her desire for him and demonstrate her interest and there's no call for insults.

Yeah.

_So where is he? If he's planning to join you in his bedroom shouldn't he be making his way towards it right now? And let me remind you that he didn't actually say-_

Shut up.

Rina made her way to the suite as quietly as she could, straining her elven ears for anything suspicious. She heard Deekin's quill pen scratch on paper in his room, and she heard absolutely nothing from every other. Just to be on the safe side, she peeked into Nathyrra's bedroom, and saw only dark shapes of furniture. The same was visible in her own bedroom, so she made her way to the last door.

The suite was made up of nine rooms, in fact : the ante-room that doubled as a salon if the guests wanted to have guests of their own in more private atmosphere, and four doors leading from it to four smaller anterooms with writing tables and chaise-longues and that kind of thing. Important people stayed here, people who met other people and needed privacy with them, but not neccessarily bedroom-type privacy. Well, not always, at least.

Sneaking past the small antichamber leading to Valen's bedroom, she couldn't help noticing that it was entirely undisturbed. Deekin made much use of writing supplies and desks, of course, and Nathyrra had scribed a few scrolls and letters too, by the look of things. Even Rina herself would have at least hung up a cloak on the back of a chair or something, if she had had the chance. But Valen's part of the suite reflected the austere personality not only of a soldier, but of a soldier who spent his life as an inhumane... thing. A weapon.

Nothing was even disturbed in the anteroom. In the bedroom, the bed covers were smoothed down perfectly, although that might have been the staff. The staff was probably not responsible for Valen's flail positioned at the head of the bed, though, and his few belongings – traveling backpack, polishing rags, whetstones, oil – placed with barrack-room neatness on a narrow shelf. There was one unexpected thing among the weapon master's standard gear, and it was a piece of parchment.

Knowing full well that she shouldn't, Rina reached out for it. Shaky, blotted lines crisscrossed the yellowish surface, and they should have been just a mess, but they weren't. She recognised Deekin's drawing style, which was just like his singing : strange and disjointed and yet, creating an effect that transgressed its medium. In this particular case, it was a drawing of her, of that could be no doubt.

She never was bashful about nudity, and after a few decades of typical adventuring life one lost all concerns for it anyway. And she remembered that moment when they fell through the sinkhole in the Underdark and she got half submerged in living slime. Well, the waters there were clean and nice even if cold, and she waved both Nathyrra's and Valen's safety objections to silence and went to clean up there and then. Deekin has taken it on himself to stand guard, or rather sit guard on a nearby stone, and she remembered him scribbling all the time. And shortly afterwards, she saw Valen adjust his leather armor for him, and repair a few clasps...

She looked at the drawing again. It was her, right enough, naked, kneeling in a stream ; her legs were parted for balance, her one hand was cupping her own breast and her other hand was brushing her hair off her forehead. It was clearly a picture of a woman taking a shower, and it must have been pure coincidence that it was also incredibly erotic. Especially since a kobold was the author. It was flattering, too – the waist was narrower, the figure more lithe and enticing. She realised with embarrassment that Deekin has probably seen enough pictures and heard enough stories and songs to know what humans – and semihumans – find attractive.

She put it away carefully, trying not to feel so awkward about this particular matter, and lay down on the bed. So, Valen had bought a nude picture of her from the kobold he obviously disliked... And as early as the beginning of their acquaintaince, too.

And to think how many times she despaired of ever getting close to him. All the nights she obsessed over his every word to and about the Seer, his every glance towards the serene drow. Just now, when she's been watching him, she wondered deep down if he wasn't fantasizing about returning to the Seer, in all his heroic glory, and finally making her succumb to him. And all this time, he's been carrying a nude picture of herself, bought from a kobold bard.

She lay back on the pristine bed and closed her eyes, wondering if he'd ever touched himself thinking of her, or even looking at that picture. They have spent a few nights in the command quarters in Lith My'athar, each offered a small but comfortable private bedroom. And now that she knew that Valen did indeed pleasure himself sometimes – and she knew _how_ he did that, too – she couldn't help wondering...

The memory of his naked body in the pool made her breath quicken, and Rina unwrapped the towel to touch her hard nipples. Eyes closed, she remembered the graceful, precise movement of his tail and the thin trail of red hair on his abdomen. She recalled the heat of his body, the heat that almost threatened to burn. Her other hand made its way between her thighs, stroking the softness within. She imagined it was his hand that teased her nipples, tried to persuade herself it was his touch between her legs... She spread them even wider and worked two fingers into her hot body, whimpering quietly, as much from stimulation as from frustration. Try as she might, she still knew it was her hand and not his hard shaft. Or tail...

Rina moaned softly, thinking about it, imagining what exactly could he do to her with that extra source of pleasure. She moved her fingers inside, keeping them in time with that imaginary tail and felt almost like screaming – screaming his name to get him to her. Now.

Eyes shut tight, she writhed on the bed, desperately clutching at the image in her mind that seemed so near and so far at the same time.

"Valen..." she whispered, trying to summon him into the room as if by magic. "Please, come to me... oh, Valen..."

Suddenly she felt a steel grip on both her wrists, pulling her hands back. A dark shape eclipsed the room, and she was being straddled again, this time with her hands pulled over her head. A large body, heavy yet agile, leaned over her, and an incredibly hot breath teased her ear.

"Well, if you ask so nicely... here I am."

Shadowbreath indeed, thought Rina, just before he bit her ear.


	5. Chapter 5

Deekin turned his head like a snake when he heard a short, breathless scream from the other room. He paused for a second, even though he knew very well a second could mark the difference between life and death. But in this particular case, he still opted to wait.

The following moments failed to deliver further screams, calls for help or battle cries and clashing weapons. The air was free of that intangible, prickly feeling he's come to expect even before magic was cast, these days. It was therefore likely that there was not, in fact, any danger present.

Deekin put his quill in the inkwell carefully and made his way to the anteroom. The door leading to Valen's bedroom was carefully locked, but there was a fluffy white towel hanging on the doorhandle. It was damp.

Deekin smiled, and when other human – or at least humanoid – noises rose on the other side of the door, he went back to his room and, still smiling faintly, cast an Extended Deafness. On himself.

It was terrible how little consideration people had for the intrepid narrator of an epic tale, he thought. Then again, he was always able to deal with the difficulties anyway. Picking the pen up again, he jotted down a line.

"The Boss had infinite respect for her faithful kobold companion... Never for a moment did she doubt he could cope."

ΦΦΦ

Rina bit her lower lip to prevent herself from screaming. He held her down well and good – without the magic gear, he was way stronger than she was. Pinned to the bed, she moaned helplessly as Valen amused himself by biting her ears, her neck, her nipples. It was all too much for her starved body and she trashed under him, straining her limbs in a futile attempt to regain some control. She might as well be held by iron golems.

Valen let out a short laugh. "Stop it, Rina, that kind of thing can get you hurt."

"I... I can't... I don't want to..." she stammered, unable even to form a sentence when she felt his tongue tease a hard nipple. Her words melted into a moan when he licked it, and she arched her back, straining against his hands that still held her in place.

"Oh, you're worried about the noise?" there was so much mischievous mockery in his voice now that he really did sound like a demon. Rina panted for a second and screamed when he bit on the nipple again, harder this time.

"Well, don't be," he whispered.

Her mind fizzed. If his patience with polishing chainmail was anything to go by, he could go on like this for ages, probably making her explode at some point. She had to do something, and yet she liked the way he took charge. She liked it so much, that when he let go of her wrists she kept her hands over her head from sheer, lustful obedience. Valen's tongue traced a complicated course from her breasts to her navel, teasing her with maddeningly delicate flickers. She was on the verge of begging when she felt his hot breath between her thighs.

"You were ready to do this in the bath, weren't you," he said, conversationally, and each syllable caressed her delicate opening. "You wanted me to take you there and then."

Rina's mind was unable to think of any other words than "take me now." She could only moan in response. Valen made her wait for a few seconds, and then he bit her, right in the delicate center – not really hard, but enough to make her cry out. While she still panted in shock, his tongue made its way back up to her breasts and neck, and his eyes locked with hers.

She looked at him, her gaze misted over with lust and need, and searched his face for some clue, but could not find any. He just settled himself comfortably on top of her, one hand holding her in place by the shoulder, other hand fondling her breast.

"That's why you were so angry, weren't you?" he said, circling the nipple. Rina stared at him, baffled. Why was he in the mood for talking all of a sudden? What happened to all that hea-

That was when she felt it. She felt the tip of his tail stroke her inner thigh.

"Yes!" she breathed, and not to answer the question. The touch was light and supple, but with a definite possibility of becoming harder. And speaking of harder, flexing her legs and twisting her hips, she could just brush against his penis... as hot and hard as it had been not long ago. Valen smiled and leaned in so close that his lips touched her ear when he whispered.

"You wanted me to take you on the cold, hard floor? You wanted to be stretched under the big, demonic warrior? Pinned down by his heavy body? Helpless at his strength?"

His tail made it all the way up, gently stroking her wet lips and the pearl between. Rina moaned, eyes closed.

"Yes... oh yes... Oh, I'm so completely at your mercy," she whispered, with just a soupcon of a smile. She felt the tip of his shaft brush against her opening, while the tail slid back and, for a moment, stroked her between the buttocks. She gasped, arching her body to get him inside her as soon as possible, and again when she felt the tail coil hard against her thigh.

"I shall have no mercy, lady," Valen growled. And pushed into her.

Rina let out a loud cry that echoed around the room. Finally feeling him inside was... was incredible, it was the best thing she could ever feel. It was like she was complete at last... no more hunger, no more desire, only satisfaction. Longing no longer.

„Yes! Yes, yes, yes..." he pushed into her again and again, each movement punctuated by her moaning and arching her whole body, until he let go of her hands and she could dig them into his back, scratching at it with trembling fingers. She screamed and moaned and writhed under him in pure ecstasy of finally tasting the man of her dreams. She felt like she could go on like this forever.

The bed groaned under them and her screams rose in pitch, announcing the impeding orgasm – and sure enough, it came, making her whole body tremble. Valen groaned loudly as her walls tightened around him, hot and quivering, and held her until she calmed down. Her loud panting filled the hot silence of the room.

Finally she opened her eyes and looked up at him, incredulous. "Valen, I..." she whispered, but he covered her mouth with his and her words drowned in a hot, breathless kiss.

"Silence," he growled, gasping for breath himself. "I'm not done with you."

And Rina remembered, too late, that his stamina was not that of a mortal...

ΦΦΦ

Nathyrra smiled to her reflection in the mirror, straightening her new dress. It was nice to finally own an item of clothing that had no other purpose than to look good – and it did look good, of that could be no doubt. Last night, she had paid for male attention, but it began to dawn on her that it wasn't really necessary. Men – surface men, yes, but all of them men of influence and power and quite a few of them attractive – were queuing up to talk to her, to invite her to places and journeys and whatever. A few times, she wondered if that was because Rina herself wasn't there, because the true heroine was inaccessible and so they were settling for the second prize.

Then, as she let her hair loose and admired the effect, she heard a breathless moan from the other room. The true heroine will probably remain inaccessible and for good, if Deekin's instinct for romance was anything to go by. Valen would certainly not let her go without a fight, and by gods, could he fight. No, Rinaelianwen the Devilbane had tasted the touch of a demon, and she wouldn't settle for a mortal after that.


End file.
